This Extraordinary Life
by Mrs.JohnReese
Summary: Prequel to 'Darkness, Unleashed.' Charlotte Pike is a new Starfleet Cadet; about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Caught between upholding a family legacy, and forging a name for herself; the young woman will soon find that when it comes to outer space...nothing is as it seems. Carries through some of the Academy days, and eventually into the 2009 movie plot. Please R&R!
1. Beginnings and Introductions

"Mom, _honest_, I'll be fine. Besides, Dad will be there the whole time."

"Not the whole time, Charlotte" Came the amused, and yet partially resigned reply of the young girl's father; one of his hands coming up to comb through greying hair as he shook his head in bemused adoration at both his wife's worry, and his daughter's eagerness. Just as he had expected, Charlotte had flown through the preparatory work required for enlistment into Starfleet upon his recommendation; passing the required examinations with ease, and no small amount of over-indulgent studying. She had shown enough promise for him, and it seemed for the higher ups at Starfleet as well; given her speedy acceptance after results were obtained. But still, that had not prepared the Captain for the full impact of his daughter's acceptance to the program. Like almost every father he knew of, he was caught between acknowledgement of his little girl's rapid entry into the world; and his desire to deny that fact with every fiber of his being. Though admittedly, with her chosen path, at least he might have a chance to watch over her _still_, to ease some of his worry.

_Like him, she was now yet another part to the family tradition…_

"Fine, not the whole time. Enough of the time, though."

Frowning as she took in the almost haunting eagerness in her daughter's bright green eyes as she so easily shrugged off any concern directed towards her; Elizabeth Pike exchanged one last look of concern with her husband before pulling her daughter into her arms and pressing a firm kiss against her hair. Charlotte had always been a free spirit; content to fly off wherever impulse led her on most instances, even in spite of Elizabeth's almost constant string of warnings and admonitions. Like father, like daughter, she supposed; a reluctant smile toying with the corners of her mouth as she countered her daughter's assertion.

"Hopefully _my _definition of enough of the time."

"Liz, listen to me" Pike intoned then; using one forefinger to brush an errant curl away from his wife's forehead and marveling at how such a simple gesture served to rivet her attention on him even in spite of his daughter's presence within her embrace "I'll watch her. No boys, no shenanigans, no nothing."

"_Dad_…"

"You'll have time for all of that later, Charlotte" The man admonished; managing a faint smile for the look of sheer exasperation his daughter was leveling his way before returning his attention to his wife "Nothing's going to touch her."

"Right, well if anything _does_, Captain Confident; you'll be answering to me."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Looping an arm through her father's then, the young woman broke free of her mother's grasp; giving her an encouraging smile and a wave as she permitted her father to lead her towards the terminal that would take them to their plane. She knew without a doubt that she would miss her mother, her childhood home, her friends…but what she was about to embark upon was the beginning of something she had yet to fully fathom. Something that was brand new, exciting, and almost certain to give her more than she had ever dreamed of experiencing in one lifetime.

_Something that would change her in more ways than she could ever imagine._

…

"No way" Charlotte protested; holding both hands up to ward off her new acquaintances' pleading expression as the tall, dark skinned woman crossed her arms over her chest; throwing a conspiratorial look to the red-haired Orion -_Gaila_- standing beside her "Not in something like _that_."

"Oh come _on_, Charlotte, it's our last night of freedom before leaving for Academy! Live a little!"

"I live plenty" The young woman argued; resisting a snort as Gaila rolled her eyes in exasperation and flopped dramatically back onto the bed, clearly in distress over how on earth anyone would _not _want to go to the local bar and mingle with sweaty strangers "Not sure I need to add wearing skin-tight tube dresses and beer slop to my bucket list."

"Look, we're not going to have another opportunity like this for a while" The taller woman, Nyota, asserted; stepping just a fraction of an inch closer to Charlotte and raising an eyebrow as she let the dress hanger dangle on the end of one fingertip "_So, _you can either come with us, or spend the only night you'll have in the foreseeable future where you _don't_ have to study in this room, watching bad cable."

Frowning, Charlotte leveled a significant look of suspicion and barely masked amusement towards the two women sharing the room with her; her head shaking in resignation as she grabbed the dress, and did her best to ignore the look of self-satisfaction on Nyota's face. The two women rooming with her were entirely _too_ persuasive, the young woman thought; this most recent string of attempts at getting her out with them only a fraction of the armada they had unleashed against her. And Charlotte found herself unable to resist finally assenting, if nothing more than to get her fellow Cadets to give her some semblance of peace; as well as to satisfy a nagging sensation of curiosity over what they had planned.

"Fine. I'll go with you. On one condition."

"What's that?"

Permitting the grin that had been toying with the corners of her mouth as a result of Gaila's shriek of excitement, and Nyota's own smile to take over; Charlotte began the trek towards the bathroom to change, her voice rising to be heard over the sound of the shutting door as she answered.

"We are _not_ dancing on any tables."

…

Hours later found Charlotte in the company of her two new friends; fingers toying with the straw of her cola as she suppressed a laugh over the antics of those surrounding her. For the most part, everyone excluding herself was in various different states of inebriation; loud laughs and shouts of enjoyment clouding the air and giving an almost surreal feeling to the entire affair. The majority of patrons were prospective Cadets, or Officers of numerous backgrounds; gathered to enjoy the remainder of time left open to them before Academy life began once again. They were all here for the same purpose. All seemed at least on the surface, to be welcoming and polite. Fitting for Starfleet personnel, she was sure.

Overall, the young woman reasoned, her company wasn't entirely disagreeable, even in spite of the drink that so affected many of them. But even that knowledge did not prevent her from releasing a small groan of protest as Gaila and Nyota turned to her upon the disappearance of their own beverages; their eyes pleading as the Orion spoke up first.

"Char, I don't suppose we could ask you to-"

"To refill your drinks?" The young woman finished; shaking her head in amusement as she pushed off from the table and rolled her eyes at the slightly glazed look in both her friends' faces "You know, eventually I'm going to be duty bound to cut you two off."

Gaila's laughter mixed with Nyota's as Charlotte stepped around their table and maneuvered her way through the throngs of people mingling and dancing towards the bar; her stomach clenching a bit as she took note of a few more than unwelcome glances directed her way. This type of scene was so far out of her comfort zone, it was laughable. Even in the face of having experienced firsthand, the friendliness of many that surrounded her as the Officers did their best to make small talk with the new recruits, she was still much more comfortable in smaller crowds; in spite of her current choice in career. A career that all but _required _constant interaction with large groupings; at least when considering a position on a Starship. A part of her had to admit that she had gotten herself to where she was now in large part due to her father's encouragement. But in spite of her hesitancy, she was also unable to avoid acknowledging the part of her that also desired nothing more than to partake in such a journey. Exploring, interacting with other species…it appealed to her curiosity as much as it had once appealed to her father's.

_She had done this for him._

Approaching the bar, Charlotte chose a seat towards the end of the counter; opting for waiting until the bartender finished serving a rather raucous look of male cadets instead of garnering his attention for herself. Half-tempted to obtain a more refined beverage for herself, given the all too likely possibility of this turning into a rather lengthy evening; the young woman plucked a small menu from the bucket to her immediate left for her perusal, only to find herself jumping as a sandy blonde-haired man plunked himself down beside her at that exact moment, fixing her with a wide grin as he held out a hand and said:

"Hey there, gorgeous. Jim Kirk."

…

**Hi all! And welcome to my prequel for "Darkness, Unleashed." The idea for this little guy hit me somewhat at random a few days ago, and hasn't let me go since…so I hope it can obtain enough interest for me to continue forward! Basically, I wanted to go a bit further into the origin of the Jim/Char relationship, her relations with her father, and the rest of the crew as well. Hopefully this story can do that desire justice.**

**As I always do with all my stories, I want to open the door to all of you lovely people reading this. Do I continue? Or should I scrap this and stick to my other stories? My decision depends in part on your feedback, so please! Don't hesitate to let me know what you think!**

**Thank you all so very much for reading! Until next time (I hope!)**

**MJR**


	2. Something Like Competition

Blinking, the young woman inched back from the man who had just approached; raising an eyebrow out of curiosity as she fought against the sudden flare of nerves elicited at the young man's presence. She really was no good with strangers…

"Good for you."

Unabashed by her rebuttal, the would-be Casanova let out a laugh, scooting closer to the woman he had zeroed in on before setting in again. Resistance didn't sway him. It never did.

"That's it? That's all you've got?"

"Pretty much" Charlotte replied; scooting back again, and letting out a small huff of resignation as her back lightly brushed the man sitting on her other side. She had nowhere to go until she retrieved the drinks she had come to order in the first place. Nyota and Gaila wouldn't be likely to allow her to come back empty-handed; not even if she were uncomfortable with the situation at hand. And, it seemed, her new 'friend' seemed completely oblivious to her efforts to brush him off.

_Perfect_.

"Oh come on, sweetheart" Kirk pressed; leaning forward and placing his hand on the girl's forearm, brushing the pad of his thumb lightly against her skin "Just give me a name. You can even make one up if you want."

"I don't pick up guys in bars."

"That's not a name."

Shaking her head, Charlotte managed a faint smile for the young man's tenacity in that moment; tucking a stray curl behind her ear as she gently drew her arm back from his touch.

"You don't give up easily, do you?"

"I don't believe in no-win scenarios."

"Right" The young woman sighed; turning slightly to see where the bartender had gotten himself off to, only to find chagrin stealing through her as she discovered he had already been beckoned by another customer "Well what if this is more than a no-win scenario?"

"Do explain" Kirk insisted; resting his cheek on his hand and giving the young woman beside him his best pleading expression before going forward "I'm interested."

"Of course you are."

"Alright, sweetheart" A voice cut through Charlotte's exasperation then; causing her to jump and flick her gaze towards the bartender with a mix of shock and relief "What did you need?"

"Vodka. Lots of Vodka."

_Maybe the buzz her friends seemed so intent upon finding would do her some good here_.

"Someone's a heavy drinker" The all-too determined man laughed; dragging a hand through tousled hair and leaning both elbows on the counter of the bar before him "Make that two shots. On me."

"Oh no" Charlotte protested; managing a tight smile for the insistent stranger at her side before returning her focus to the flummoxed bartender "No, I'm buying."

"That's awful nice of you."

"Do you _ever_ stop talking?" The young woman exclaimed then; a laugh of resignation leaving her as she took in the self-assured smile on the man—_Kirk's_—face as he replied without missing a beat:

"Well now you're buying me a drink. Means I'm _obligated_ to talk to you."

"Right. Likely story."

"You're stuck now though" Kirk grinned; shifting so that his body was angled towards Charlotte's and fixing her with a curious expression as he looked her over. She was shy. Extremely so, given how she seemed intent upon getting as far from him as was possible. Something he was determined to rectify, even if it killed him "At least until the drinks get back. We may as well get to know each other."

"You're not getting my name."

"Fair enough. Will you at least tell me what you're going in for?"

"In for?"

"Well it's obvious, isn't it" The man explained; noting how the young woman seemed interested in figuring out what he was getting at in spite of her almost compulsive indifference with a small degree of amusement before setting in again "You're a new cadet. Surrounded by other cadets on the day before departure for the Academy. So what are you in for?"

"Not sure yet" Charlotte replied; sparing a glance to check on the progress of the drink she had inadvertently volunteered for her pursuer before finishing "Interrogations or assault tactics."

"Why not both?"

Caught off guard, the young woman gave a moment's pause then; shrugging as she met Kirk's gaze, before opting for fiddling with the hem of her dress as she answered his question.

"Never really considered that as an option."

"Why not?"

Smiling at the man's tenacity once again, Charlotte reached for one of the glasses the bartender had just returned with; downing the contents and making to reply, only to find herself cut short as a burly cadet whose name she didn't recall appeared at her side and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"This townie bothering you?"

"Somewhat. But he's surprisingly easy to handle" The young woman replied; gently shrinking away from the cadet's touch, only to roll her eyes as the man she had just attempted to defend spoke up once more.

"Easy to handle. Well that's an invitation if I ever heard one."

"You watch who you're talking to" The cadet ground out; one hand latching onto Kirk's shoulder as he tugged the man out of his seat.

"Wait-wait, that won't be necessary-" Charlotte protested; stepping between the two men and holding out a hand to stall any untoward violence as she finished "I'm _fine_. Honest."

"Damn right you are."

_Oh no_…_he just had to open his mouth, didn't he?_

Before Charlotte could react, she found herself being nudged out of the way by the cadet who had come to her aid; her eyes flying wide in shock as she whirled around just in time to observe the hefty punch her defender aimed at Kirk's jaw. For his part, the young man took the blow with a surprising degree of strength; something that piqued her interest against all her better judgment. That is, until he was massaging his injury while a few other cadets joined ranks behind their comrade; a cocky grin toying with the corners of his mouth as he taunted them.

"Why don't you grab a few more of your friends, Cupcake? Make it a fair fight."

"Okay, I think that's en-"

All of Charlotte's protests at the impending fight were rendered unnecessary as one of the cadets grabbed onto Kirk's arms; holding him back while blow after blow were directed at his chest, his abdomen, his face. Shaking herself, the young woman began the attempt at figuring out how to stop the unfair fight; only to find all thoughts thrown off course as a sharp whistle echoed through the room.

As if on cue, all movement came to a screeching halt then; the cadets that had been dealing with Kirk dropping back and leaving the young man reclining on a nearby table with back bowed and gasping for breath. Ducking underneath the restraining hand that snapped out as she darted forward on instinct, Charlotte rushed to the man's side; one hand tentatively reaching out to grab his arm as he made to lurch into a seated position.

"What the _hell _were you thinking?" She demanded, shaking her head at the inappropriately goofy grin that spread across Kirk's features as he swayed a bit in place. The young man was all but ready to make yet another witty remark in response to her question…but before he was able to do so, a rather authoritative voice rang out; putting a stop to all attempts at anything other than obeying.

"Outside. All of you. _Now_."

_Dad_…

Heaving a breath as the gathering around the brawl dissipated, Charlotte rolled her eyes as Kirk tried to nudge her away so he could stand on his own; one hand reaching towards the napkin dispenser so that she might grab something to stave off the bleeding that was coming from her pursuer's nose. For his part, he seemed thrilled beyond belief that she was willingly helping him out; that smile coming back in full force as he reached for her hand with his own, only to fade slightly as the authoritative figure spoke again.

"You too, Charlotte."

The young woman's eyes immediately flicked to her father as he addressed her; all hope of staying with her would-be suitor in spite of how obnoxious he had been falling to the wayside as the older man shook his head, reading his daughter's thoughts before she could even voice them.

"Go, Char. I'll take care of him."

Nodding, Charlotte straightened slightly; managing one last look for Kirk before she was leaving the napkin in his hands and pulling away. Of course she wasn't blind to how the young man's eyes followed her as she stepped past her father and made for the door…

_Little did she know, this would not be the last she saw of the headstrong Jim Kirk._

….

What seemed like only a few short hours later found Charlotte strapped into a seat in the shuttlecraft that would take the new cadets to Academy; her heart doing funny little flips and jumps as a direct result of her nerves. Excitement warred with apprehension as she heard the engines stirring to life beneath her feet; and it was that combination of ill-matched emotions that had her jumping as a familiar figure slumped into the empty seat on her right, grinning as always as he said:

"So we meet again."

"You enlisted" Charlotte quipped; her surprise no secret as she turned to face Kirk, one eyebrow arched instinctively as the man replied.

"Turns out I can find a purpose for my life after all."

"I see."

"Plus, the way I see it, this gives me three years to learn your name."

Blinking, the young woman gave Kirk an incredulous look then; all of her attention now focused upon him as she asked:

"Three years? You _do_ know the Academy is a four year program, right?"

"I know. Doesn't mean it has to take me that long to get through it."

"You really think you're clever enough to-" Charlotte began; only to find herself cut off as the sounds of a scuffle reached their ears. Turning to face the source of the disturbance, both she and Kirk bit back simultaneous snorts of amusement as the sight unfolded before them.

"I _told_ you, I don't need a doctor, dammit, I _am _a doctor."

"Wonder what's wrong with him" Kirk intoned; throwing a conspiratorial look Charlotte's way before the two of them returned their attention to the bickering duo entering the shuttle craft. One of them was clearly a Starfleet Officer of some sort; judging by her uniform and rather rigid stance. But the other one looked for all the world as though he had bitten off more than he could chew; his face blanching as the officer latched onto his arm, dragging him behind her as she spoke.

"You need to get back to your seat."

"I _had_ one. In the bathroom, where there weren't any windows!" The newcomer argued; yanking his arm away from the officer and attempting to stave off any further attempts to drag him forward.

"You _need_ to get back to your seat; _now_" The officer insisted; reaching out once more to grab onto the man's hand, only to find him pulling away again as he continued to press his case.

"I suffer from aviophobia. It means fear of dying in something that flies."

"Sit down _now_; before I make you."

"Fine."

Seeming to realize that his protests were futile, the man moved over without bothering to mask his frustration; plunking himself down in the seat to Charlotte's other side, and leaning over towards her.

"I might throw up on you."

"Oh please don't…"

"I think these things are pretty safe" Kirk cut in then; leaning over Charlotte to address the stranger himself, and raising an eyebrow as the man replied.

"Don't pander to me, kid, one tiny crack in the hull and our blood boils in thirteen seconds. Solar flare might crop up; cook us in our seats. And wait til you're sitting pretty with a case of Andorian shingles. See if you're still so relaxed when your _eyeballs _are bleeding. Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but Starfleet operates in space" Kirk informed; sharing a look somewhere between amusement and uncertainty with the young woman beside him.

_They had certainly found an odd duck…_

"Yeah, well, I got nowhere left to go. The ex-wife took the whole damn planet in the divorce. All I've got left is my bones."

As he spoke, the stranger reached inside his jacket for what could only be a flask; taking a swig and extending it towards Charlotte, only to shift and hand the object to Kirk as the young woman shook her head. For his part, Jim took a swig of whatever the flask contained almost as quickly as the newcomer had; a tentative grin spreading across his features as he introduced himself.

"Jim Kirk."

"McCoy. Leonard McCoy" The man replied; registering Kirk's nod of acknowledgement before he was turning his attention to Charlotte "And you are?"

Hesitating, the young woman spared a glance towards Jim; a huff of exasperation leaving her as he only offered her a smile in return.

"Oh come on, sweetheart, it was bound to come out at some point anyway."

Sighing, Charlotte turned back to McCoy as she tried her best to avoid the surge of annoyance that she was playing right into Kirk's initial goals; forcing a smile as she extended a hand to meet her new acquaintance.

"Charlotte. Charlotte Pike."

….

**Hello everyone! And welcome to the second chapter in my prequel! As you can tell, we've reached the beginning of it all in terms of where our favorite Enterprise crewmembers find themselves…so hopefully the introductions were done plausibly. I know I changed things up a bit with the bar scene, having Char meet Jim first as opposed to Nyota. I just figured that made more sense for the two of them to have an uninterrupted meeting, rather than having Jim try to juggle two women at the same time (not that he couldn't…lol).**

**As always, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this story! And I absolutely cannot wait to hear what you think! Please don't hesitate to leave comments/reviews! They're like my bread and butter.**

**Until next time…**

**MJR**


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